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Scientists at Ghent University in Belgium are experimenting with
larva fat to replace butter in waffles, cakes and cookies,
saying using grease from insects is more sustainable than dairy
produce.
Clad in white aprons, the researchers soak Black soldier fly
larvae in a bowl of water, put it in a blender to create a
smooth greyish dollop and then use a kitchen centrifuge to
separate out insect butter.
"There are several positive things about using insect
ingredients," said Daylan Tzompa Sosa, who oversees the
research.
"They are more sustainable because (insects) use less land (than
cattle), they are more efficient at converting feed ... and they
also use less water to produce butter," Tzompa Sosa said as she
held out a freshly baked insect butter cake.
According to the researchers, consumers notice no difference
when a quarter of the milk butter in a cake is replaced with
larva fat. However, they report an unusual taste when it gets to
fifty-fifty and say they would not want to buy the cake.
Insect food has high levels of protein, vitamins, fiber and
minerals and scientists elsewhere in Europe are looking at it as
a more environmentally friendly and cheap alternative to other
types of animal products.
(Reporting by Jakub Riha, Ciara Luxton and Christian Levaux;
Editing by Gabriela Baczynska/John Chalmers/Susan Fenton)
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